Over the next few weeks, as the 2021 NFL Draft gets closer and closer, we're spotlighting a different position group or draft storyline at ClevelandBrowns.com.
In our Road to the Draft series, we'll take a deep dive into the top prospects available at each position group. We're continuing with the defensive ends, a group that's received plenty of connections with the Browns since the offseason began.
Why the position matters for the Browns: Even though they added three-time Pro Bowler Jadeveon Clowney to their DE room this week, the Browns could still be in the market for a defensive end early in the draft. Clowney and All-Pro Myles Garrett are poised to garner the most snaps, but Cleveland also has big plans for Takkarist McKinley, a free-agent signee and 2017 first-round pick. The Browns could deploy Garrett, Clowney and McKinley, with Clowney potentially playing inside against opposing guards, in some defensive packages. Porter Gustin, Joe Jackson, Cameron Malveaux and Curtis Weaver round out the group.
The top dog in this year's class: That depends who you ask, but most people believe it's either Azeez Ojulari (Georgia), Kwity Paye (Michigan) or Jaelan Phillips (Miami). All three prospects have been mocked to land between picks No. 11-15 or as low as the second round, and all three have frequently been mocked to the Browns. Ojulari is the highest ranked prospect in Dane Brugler's 2021 edition of "The Beast" and received a comparison to Yannick Ngakoue.
Rounding out the top five: This also widely depends on who you ask, so we'll make this more a roundup of the top six. Gregory Rousseau (Miami), Jayson Oweh (Penn State) and Joe Tryon (Washington) are all potential first-round prospects but could fall to the second round with little surprise. Rousseau opted out of the 2020 season but built plenty of draft stock with his 15.5-sack season in 2019. Oweh, meanwhile, recorded zero sacks in 2020 but is still considered one of the freaks of the 2021 draft class — he ran a 4.37 40-yard dash — and could be a prized developmental piece. Tryon was an opt-out for 2020, registered eight sacks in 2019 and could also develop into a quality starter over time.
How many first-rounders?: This DE class has about eight players with first-round potential, but there only appears to be four or five teams who'd be interested in selecting them in the first round. That means there will be plenty of intriguing edge rushers to choose in Round 2, although many of them could be off the board by the time the Browns are on the clock again.
A sleeper or two?: Carlos Basham Jr. has been projected as a first-round pick from a few analysts, but he appears most likely to go in the second round and could have a high ceiling after accruing 20.5 sacks and 35.5 tackles for a loss in his final three seasons at Wake Forest. Joseph Ossai from Texas holds similar stock as Basham and was a First Team All-Big 12 selection in 2020 after a five-sack season.
Quote to note: "We have been spoiled in recent years with premier pass-rush prospects at the top of the NFL Draft like Myles Garrett, Chase Young, Joey Bosa and Nick Bosa. Since 2013, at least one pass rusher has been drafted in the top five every year. However, that eight-year run will almost assuredly end in April. But while there isn't a pass rusher in this class who is viewed as a lock top-15 draft pick, this class of edge rushers is loaded in terms of depth between picks 20 and 100." - Brugler in his Top 12 edge rushers for 2021 NFL Draft analysis
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Over the next few weeks, as the 2021 NFL Draft gets closer and closer, we're spotlighting a different position group each day at ClevelandBrowns.com.
Our Road to the Draft series will dive deep into the top players available at each position group. In this series, we'll be analyzing what the Browns have on hand and how that may affect the team's decision making with its nine selections.
Miami defensive lineman Gregory Rousseau (15) celebrates a turnover and wears the turnover chain during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Central Michigan, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
UCLA defensive lineman Jaelan Phillips, right, and linebacker Josh Woods, left, is seen against Texas A&M an NCAA college football game, Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017, in Pasadena, Calif. UCLA won 45-44. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok)
Defensive lineman Payton Turner of Houston (98) warms up during the American team practice for the NCAA college football Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Rusty Costanza)
Oklahoma defensive end Ronnie Perkins (7) celebrates his team's 27-21 win over Iowa State in the Big 12 Conference championship NCAA college football game, Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020, in Arlington, Texas. . (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)
Oklahoma defensive end Ronnie Perkins participates in the school's Pro Day football workout for NFL scouts on Friday, March 12, 2021, in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)
Joe Tryon, an edge linebacker, runs a drill, Tuesday, March 30, 2021, during Washington's pro day football workout for NFL scouts in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Joe Tryon, an edge linebacker, pauses between drills, Tuesday, March 30, 2021, during Washington's pro day football workout for NFL scouts in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Defensive player of the game, Georgia linebacker Azeez Ojulari holds the championship trophy after the Peach Bowl NCAA college football game against Cincinnati, Friday, Jan. 1, 2021, in Atlanta. Georgia won 22-21. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
American Team defensive lineman Payton Turner of Houston (98) walks on the field during the NCAA Senior Bowl college football game in Mobile, Ala., Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
Penn State defensive end Jayson Oweh (28) watches pregame before an NCAA college football game against Illinois in State College, Pa., on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)
Texas linebacker Joseph Ossai takes part in the school's Pro Day, Thursday, March 11, 2021, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Texas outside linebacker Joseph Ossai carries during an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma State, in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020. Ossai was selected to The Associated Press All-America first-team offense, Monday, Dec. 28, 2020. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Michigan defensive lineman Kwity Paye is seen during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Michigan State, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Penn State defensive end Jayson Oweh (28) lines up against Ohio State in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game in State College, Pa., on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)
Texas' Joseph Ossai is pursued by Oklahoma State safety Tre Sterling (3) during an NCAA college football game in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Penn State defensive end Jayson Oweh (28) warms up for an NCAA college football game against Michigan State in State College, Pa., on Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)
Penn State defensive end Jayson Oweh plays during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Michigan, Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Georgia linebacker Azeez Ojulari (13) celebrates after a sack during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Mississippi State, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Michigan defensive lineman Kwity Paye (19) defends against Minnesota in the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, in Minneapolis. Michigan won 49-24. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Jaelan Phillips of Miami celebrates a defensive stop during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Virginia Tech Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, in Blacksburg, Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP, Pool)
Houston defensive lineman Payton Turner (98) rushes during an NCAA football game against Central Florida on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020 in Houston. (AP Photo/Matt Patterson)
FILE - In this Nov. 30, 2019, file photo, Miami's Gregory Rousseau (15) tackles Duke's Deon Jackson (25) during the second half of an NCAA college football game between Miami and Duke in Durham, N.C. Rousseau was selected to The Associated Press preseason All-America first-team, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020. (AP Photo/Chris Seward, File)
FILE - In this Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019, file photo, Michigan defensive lineman Kwity Paye (19) sacks Rutgers quarterback Artur Sitkowski (8) in the first half of an NCAA college football game, in Ann Arbor, Mich. Michigan has been good, not great, under coach Jim Harbaugh. Michigan defensive end Kwity Paye said the 19th-ranked team is under the radar and the Wolverines have taken a lot of punches from people, criticizing the relatively underwhelming state of the program. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)
Washington linebacker Joe Tryon gestures during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Utah, on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019 in Seattle. Utah won 33-28. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
Georgia defensive Azeez Ojulari (13) against Arkansas during an NCAA college football game in Fayetteville, Ark. Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Woods)
Utah wide receiver Derrick Vickers (8) is lifted off the ground as he is hit by Texas linebacker Joseph Ossai (46) during the second half of the Alamo Bowl NCAA college football game in San Antonio, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Georgia linebacker Azeez Ojulari (13) in action during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Auburn, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Oklahoma defensive lineman Ronnie Perkins (7) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Norman, Okla., Sunday, Sept. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)
Georgia linebacker Azeez Ojulari rushes the Arkansas State line during an NCAA football game on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/John Amis)
Michigan defensive lineman Kwity Paye (19) plays against Army in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Florida offensive lineman Jean Delance (56) blocks against Miami defensive lineman Gregory Rousseau (15) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Clemson's Trevor Lawrence (16) is sacked by Wake Forest's Carlos Basham Jr. (18) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Charlotte, N.C., Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Oklahoma defensive lineman Ronnie Perkins answers a question during an NCAA college football media day in Norman, Okla., Friday, Aug. 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
UCLA defensive lineman Jaelan Phillips blows a kiss to the crowd before the first half of an NCAA college football game against Memphis Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Houston Cougars defensive tackle Ed Oliver, left, helps Houston Cougars defensive lineman Payton Turner (98) with his pads during warm ups before the start of a NCAA college football game against the Rice Owls Saturday, Sep. 1, 2018, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
UCLA linebacker Jaelan Phillips (15) celebrates after sacking Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018, in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
